Can we get an update for new people, is it to late to get in on the ground floor of this? Frankly, it's a little hard to follow the dates involved, I've not seen any dates.

Are there qualifiers going all the time until a certain date, so you can get in no matter what time you come up until a certain date, you are just in different qualifying rounds?

Maybe I am to easily confused... lol

Just follow the stickies, they will gently guide you. But yes, there are 20 qualifying rounds through the course of a year, once a quarter, there is a semifinal, and at the end of a year, the Grand Finale.

I have a simple questions. I read the thread on how to post photos for the LPS challenge (and I think I can understand the thread).

The question that I have is, the rules say maximum file size is 150kb and the longest dimension is 800 pixel. So does this mean, one has to crop the photo to this dimension and save the file so as it is not bigger than 150kb and then post for the LPS challenge OR just upload the original file to a gallery and linked it using the method described in the thread and the file size and dimension woul automatically be correct?

I have a simple questions. I read the thread on how to post photos for the LPS challenge (and I think I can understand the thread).

The question that I have is, the rules say maximum file size is 150kb and the longest dimension is 800 pixel. So does this mean, one has to crop the photo to this dimension and save the file so as it is not bigger than 150kb and then post for the LPS challenge OR just upload the original file to a gallery and linked it using the method described in the thread and the file size and dimension woul automatically be correct?

Thanks!

If you use smugmug, upload whatever size you want and simply link L image.

If not - yes, you'd have to resize (not crop!) your image to the said specs.
In this case I'd also recommend downsampling to 72 dpi and set quality to 8 or 6 (in PS terms) to help with the file size and to prevent possible unauthoraized usage by those going to feast their eyes on the contest winners for the ages to come:-)

If you use smugmug, upload whatever size you want and simply link L image.

If not - yes, you'd have to resize (not crop!) your image to the said specs.
In this case I'd also recommend downsampling to 72 dpi and set quality to 8 or 6 (in PS terms) to help with the file size and to prevent possible unauthoraized usage by those going to feast their eyes on the contest winners for the ages to come:-)

HTH

Quicky question regarding the above rules...

If you are hosted on your own server, do you still have to compress to under 150K (in other words, I won't submit as an attachment)?

I'm also glad shay said that. It really is true - when I do the robotic work of uploading all the entries to a gallery so that they are on even ground for our judges, I don't look at the titles, just photos, and I have to say too many of them would never speak the theme to me... coincidentally, it's these that have the longest most story-like titles.

You have 3 seconds to capture your audience. You can't read the following in 3 seconds:

4 public choice awards get w, x, y, z
the winner winner gets A
the runners up get B
...

...you get the idea. You have to come HERE to read the fine print, and that is exactly the point! When you enter bike or running races, the pots are always advertised this way "total purse" or "total pot". There's nothing deceiving about it, we just have to be to the point.

I just found out about the contest on saturday and looking at the flyer, it did look like the grand prize was $25k. And so I was like, "the winner gets 25 grand? Awesome! Let's find out more." And then I was like, "Oh, it's only $7500. Well that's still kinda cool, I guess."

It mentions prizes in two separate places which are attached to the different rounds, so it looks like the semi-finalists get "Cash Prizes" and the grand finale gets "$25,000 Total Prizes." $25K is even inside the same circle as the words "Grand Finale" and "You?" which is where I think the confusion lies.

It mentions prizes in two separate places which are attached to the different rounds, so it looks like the semi-finalists get "Cash Prizes" and the grand finale gets "$25,000 Total Prizes." $25K is even inside the same circle as the words "Grand Finale" and "You?" which is where I think the confusion lies.

End result: you came here, you read the details, you get it, you are participating!

Be kind to the volunteers running this contest
Guys, this is important: Don't waste the moderator's time with PMs about things that are clearly in the rules.

Photos must be submitted by the deadline.

Photos must be 800px on the long side or less.

Photos must have exif.

It's pretty clear. You all can use a camera, and the internet. Please read, understand, and follow our simple rules.

If you don't or can't - then the photo will be disqualified. We don't have time to PM you, ask you to change something. The folks running the challenge do NOT get paid for this effort. They do it for the love of photography and Dgrin. They DO NOT have a chance at $27,000 prize pot, although they could easily choose to compete by giving up the pleasure of working in the challenge.

Guys, this is important: Don't waste the moderator's time with PMs about things that are clearly in the rules.

Photos must be submitted by the deadline.

Photos must be 800px on the long side or less.

Photos must have exif.

It's pretty clear. You all can use a camera, and the internet. Please read, understand, and follow our simple rules.

If you don't or can't - then the photo will be disqualified. We don't have time to PM you, ask you to change something. The folks running the challenge do NOT get paid for this effort. They do it for the love of photography and Dgrin. They DO NOT have a chance at $27,000 prize pot, although they could easily choose to compete by giving up the pleasure of working in the challenge.

So, give them a break, eh guys?

Hi and agreed on all of the above, but the listed instructions for exif don't always work - and if you have not done it here before, you don't really know what should be done, even if following what is listed to the letter.

That right click on the photo info button, didn't work for me.

So thanks for the fix up and the way to put it into typing, but perhaps someone could type that somewhere permanent? one day?

I am not pc brilliant, not completely dumb - but alternatives are always a good way to save mods time I guess.

Let me give you my take on what Andy is trying to say: "hey, we (mods/admins) are holding out a carrot, you guys need to work for it a little bit."

It's a mighty big carrot too! Uhhhm, perhaps I should rephrase.
Seriously, the prizes are substantial so you have to rise to the challenge. Uhhhm, what I mean is, if you were submitting work to a paying client, or uploading to their website at their specs, would you act differently, more carefully? I'm writing in general about the issues Andy addressed, not specific technical difficulties. That said, as a new Dgrinner I did have to do some work to figure out the EXIF link but found all I needed in the Dgrin Forum Support.

It's a mighty big carrot too! Uhhhm, perhaps I should rephrase.
Seriously, the prizes are substantial so you have to rise to the challenge. Uhhhm, what I mean is, if you were submitting work to a paying client, or uploading to their website at their specs, would you act differently, more carefully? I'm writing in general about the issues Andy addressed, not specific technical difficulties. That said, as a new Dgrinner I did have to do some work to figure out the EXIF link but found all I needed in the Dgrin Forum Support.

I so totally agree with you there Erik. There are pictures that lend themselves to a name/title. But I always felt that the picture is supposed to do the talking. And if a title does not immediately hit me, I would rather put the picture out there, hoping that the audience will understand it or just leave them to put their own interpretation on it. The important thing is that it leaves an impression with the viewer. By trying in agony to put a title on it will most likely get the title wrong and can spoil the viewers experience completely.

And here is finally what I was trying to get to: Could you make the title optional? If it is purely for identification purposes, wouldn't the username be just as efficient for that purpose.

And here is finally what I was trying to get to: Could you make the title optional? If it is purely for identification purposes, wouldn't the username be just as efficient for that purpose.

It would yes, but...

Choosing a title for your work is a very important skill to master. I get people who hire me at times simply because of the way some of the photos are titled. Titles are important and they finish off the piece. What we are doing now is training the contestants to put a little effort into titling their work, and not just repeating the stated theme of the contest. It does not have to be long or elaborate, but it should complement the piece. The better you become at titling, the better the response from those who view the work.

It is my hope that by the end of the contest year we will have slowly trained a vast number of photographers to be better at what they do and better able to enter the profession of photography if they so desire.

As an additional note, if you enter a major photography contest, PPA (Professional Photographers of America) for instance, a title is required and a mistitled piece can cost you dearly (i.e., it won't hang). Sit through a judging session there (quietly, not allowed to speak) and you can learn the true meaning of brutal, although the worst thing that can happen is no discussion at all.

It would be nice in the LPS Finalists gallery to include with each photo:

And a good steak and cheese would also really hit the spot right now.

Noted, but since I'm the one responsible for this, I will with no ill intent just say: not gonna happen. I don't get paid enough (read:volunteer) to type html into every single caption, and hunt down links to everyone. In the gallery description, I have placed a link to the original entry threads on dgrin, where all shooter info is available.

...I've never considered composite photos to be a photograph but more of an artistic expression, by combing multiple photos to convey a message and I don't think they should be allowed in this contest....

And how about mutiple exposures on the same film frame? Or how about several exposures blended on the same sheet of paper? How much is that different from what we're doing now in PS?

I think Shay said it very clearly: do what you want, but it's better be good. Judges will decide if you went overboard.

I've never considered composite photos to be a photograph but more of an artistic expression, by combing multiple photos to convey a message and I don't think they should be allowed in this contest.

At some point a photography that has been Photoshopped eventually falls into this realm, but defining this line would be difficult.

Photography is an artistic expression. And so is the use of an image editor. Now, as a group of photographers, we are going to appreciate a work that is more photo and less illustration as a rule. But there are some very talented people out there that can innovate and come up with new ideas that inspire the next generation of thought about what is possible and aesthetic.

The contest rules are open as regard to image editing. You can do what you want, but it better be really good if it is going to win the attention of a bunch of photographers

If it is done to try and mask a so-so photo, it is naturally going to fail, so there is no need for a rule in this case.